Containers



59 l. RICHER 2,883,042

CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 20, 1956 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 21,

IN VE N TOP RMHER AT romvzvs April 21, 1959 a I RICHER 2,83,042

v CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 20, 1956 I s Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS IVEN'T P H ,Wm

A ril 21, 1959 I. RICHER 2,883,042

CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 20, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 n INVENFON CGNTADIERS Irving Richer, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application February 20, 1956, Serial No. 566,597 4 Claims. or. 206-7) The invention relates to improvements in containers and more particularly to a collapsible garment shipping container as described in the present specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that form a part of the same.

The invention consists essentially of the novel features of construction as pointed out broadly and specifically in the claims for novelty following a description containing an explanation in detail of acceptable forms of the invention.

The objects of the invention are to devise a container that will be used as a receptacle for garments such as fur coats, cloth coats, dresses, capes, and other articles, and which may be retained therein in such a way as to minimize the possibility of the coat, dress or other garment from being crumpled or wrinkled while being transported in the container; to permit the packaging of the articles in the containers and stock up ready for shipment, which, under other circumstances would not be practical due to the possibility of the garment becoming rumpled or creased in either their loose or packed position in ordinary containers; to construct containers of the collapsible type for the purpose of shipment or storage and which will take little room and are easily assembled when required and may be used repeatedly; to furnish a means for maintaining the garment in an upright position in the container and thereby enable the garment to retain its shape during its transportation and while it remains in the container; to facilitate the handling of the garments in shipment and insuring the delivery of the same in good condition so that in the majority of cases the garments may be worn immediately without the necessity of hanging the same for a predetermined period or in other cases such as in dresses or suits having to press them prior to wearing; and generally to provide a container that will be durable in construction, economical to manufacture, attractive in appearance and efficient in its use.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank forming a first embodiment of the container.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the container being assembled from the blank of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a modified form of blank having a lateral closure wall.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the container formed from the blank of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top of a container illustrating garment hangers engaging with the top of the container and self locking themselves therewith.

Figure 6 is a detail of the hanger.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan View of a multiple type of closure flaps.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the multiple closure flaps in their assembled position.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a double type of closure .flap.

btates Patent 0.

2,883,042 Patented Apr. 21, 1959 Figure 10 is a perspective fragmentary view illustrating the assembly of the double type of closure .flap.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view of a single type of closure flap.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the assembly of a single type of closure flap for the container.

Figure 13 is a perspective view illustrating the 'container in its complete assembled position.

Like numerals of reference indicate correspondingparts in the various figures.

The container, as hereinafter described, is made from pulp material, but of course it will be understood that the container may be made from other materials without departing from the essential features of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the container, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, is formed of a blank having a rear Wall 15, a bottom wall 16 and a front wall 17 all integral with one another, the rear wall having the integral side walls 18 and 19 while the front wall 17 is provided with the integral side walls 20 and 21. The bottom wall 16 has the end flaps 22 and 23 and the rear wall 15 is provided with the closure top 24 while the front wall is provided with a lateral flap 25 which co-operates with the top 24 to complete the closure. Each of the various walls and flaps, which are integral with one another are foldable on their crease lines so that the various parts of the blank may be folded together to complete the container.

Certain of the walls are tapered so that in the assembled condition of the container it will have a wider base than its top or upper portion thereby insuring that the container, When handled will always be in an upright position particularly when it is placed on the floor or other supporting surface.

It is important that the garments, which are introduced in the container for shipment purposes, be maintained in a suspended position and such suspension means are fixedly secured to the closure top, the latter being of suflicient strength to support the weight of the garments. In Figures 3 and 4 the front wall 27 is laterally connected by the crease line 28 to the side wall 29 of the rear wall 30, the front wall 27 having the other side wall 21 as well as the upper and lower lateral flaps 32 and 33.

The bottom Wall 34 is integral with the lower end of the rear wall 30 and is provided with the end flaps 35 and 36 and the closure top 37 is integral with the rear Wall 30. The side Wall 38 of the rear wall 30 forms one side of the container when the latter is in its folded position.

It will be noted that in the Figures 3 and 4 the front wall is laterally connected to the rear wall while in Figures 1 and 2 the front wall is creasably connected to the bottom wall, the remainder of the structure is common to both types of containers.

The closure top is one of the essential features of this invention, since it does not only form a top end wall, but is in effect a part of the suspension means for supporting the fur coat or other garment that is inserted in the container, hence this top closure must have sufficient strength in accordance with the weight of the particular type of garment which is to be placed in the container. In combination with the closure top, the hanger or hangers 39, is detachably connected to and supported from the closure top and simultaneously locked therewith in order to prevent any longitudinal motion and any disengagements of the hanger.

In Figures 1-5 and 9 and 10, the closure top consists of a double flap closure formed of a pair of longitudinal closure flaps 40 and 41 integral with one another and having the common crease line 42. The flap 41 is provided with the inset end flaps 43 and 44 while the flap 40 is provided with end sealing flaps 45 and 46.

The longitudinal closure flaps 40 and 41 are provided With a plurality of longitudinal slits or slots 47,-and a corresponding number of orifices 49, which are in alignment with the slits, each aperture or orifice is located beyond one end of its respective slit. The number of slits and the corresponding orifices in each longitudinal flap 40 and 41, are identical and when one flap overlaps the other, the slits and orifices are in alignment in relation to one another so that the hangers will engage with the slits and orifices of the double flap, the hook portion 50 of the hanger engaging with the slit and corresponding aperture and in that way is prevented from any motion in a longitudinal or transverse direction.

In assembling the container of. Figures 1'and2, the rear and front walls 15 and 17 are folded upwardly from the bottom wall 16 and end flaps of the bottom wall 16 are turned upwardly so that the side walls 20, 21 of the front wall 17 abut the inner sides of the end flaps 22, 23 of the bottom wall 16 while the side Walls 18, 19 of the rear wall 15 abut the outer sides of the end flaps 22, 23 of the bottom wall 16. The closure top 24 is then folded in a lateral direction so that the longitudinal closure flap 40 will form the uppermost top wall and come in contact and be supported by the lateral flap 25 of the front wall 17 and at the same time the inset end flaps 43 and 44 exteriorly abut the side walls 18 and 19 of the rear wall 15 and the closure flap 40 is folded rearwardly until it abuts the lowermost flap 41 and thus bring into alignment the slots 47 and apertures 49 which are formed in the two longitudinal flaps 40 and 41. The various connecting portions of the container, such as the side walls flaps etc., which form the receptacle portion of the container are then suitably fastened together by means of stapling, adhesive or other suitable means, the front wall being integral with the bottom wall has side walls and flaps and actually forms the cover for the container, and which completes the assembly of the container. The hangers 39 supporting the coats or garments are then introduced into the slits and apertures of the closure flaps. The sealing flaps 45 and 46 are then folded inwardly towards one another so as to cover the flap 4t} and the hooks of the hangers 39 and then glued or otherwise secured to the closure top so as to positively prevent disengagement of the hangers during handling and shipment of the container. The sealing flaps 45 and 46 complete the closure of the container.

' The above mentioned description describes the assembly of the container in which the front wall is an extension of the bottom wall of the blank, but it is obvious that the general assembly of the container could be altered so that the front wall is laterally secured to one of the side walls or the rear wall rather than to the bottom wall and the other component parts including the closure top remain similar to both types of con tainers.

In Figures 7 and 8 end closure wall consists of a plurality of flaps 51 formed from a top section integral with the rear wall 52, and connected thereto by the crease line 53, and this section is provided by the crease lines 54 to form the flaps 51, each of the flaps having longitudinal slits and apertures 54 and 55 which are adapted to be in alignment to one another when the various flaps are superimposed on one another the top flap 56 forming the sealing or closure member and does not have the slits be noted that the closure top wall may be formed of a single, double or multiple series of flaps provided with longitudinal slits and apertures whichare adapted to be in alignment with one another when the flaps are folded over each other, and this is for the purpose of providing sufficient re-enforcing layers to the top wall in accordance with the weight of the garment which is to be packed in the container.

The closure top wall of the several embodiments forms the sole supporting means for the garments, and said top wall is, in each embodiment, provided with a sealing flap or flaps adapted to be applied and secured over the outwardly extending portion of the hanger hooks so as to prevent disengagement of said hooks from the slits 47 and apertures 49.

The feature covering a means for supporting and tem porarily looking a suspension medium on which the garment is hung and which has been described as forming an integral portion of the container itself, may be in the form of a separate unit adapted to be inserted and secured in any convenient manner either permanent or temporary Within a suitcase or other type of luggage as well as other forms of containers and it consists simply of a panel 65 having one or more longitudinal slits 66 and accompanying apertures 67 adapted to be engaged by the hook portion 68 of the hanger 69.

It is of course understood that modifications may be made to this general type of structure without in any way departing from the essential features as hereinabove described.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a collapsible container having a bottom wall, side walls and a garment supporting top wall, said top wall consisting of at least two superposed integrally connected layers of substantially equal dimensions and directly united by a common crease line, the lower layer having a slot and an aperture made therethrough, said aperture being spaced from said slot, a garment hanger located within the container and having a hook extending through said slot and aperture with its portion intermediate said slot and aperture resting directly on the outer face of said lower layer to be supported thereby, the top layer being imperforate, folded over said lower layer and said intermediate portion of said hook and secured to said lower layer in folded position to thereby hold securely said hook in close engagement between said layers, the top wall being supported on all its sides by the side walls such that aweight suspended from said wall each having slots and apertures made therethrough,

said apertures being spaced from said slots, the slots and apertures of the superposed layers registering respectively with one another, garment hangers located within the container and each having a hook extending through registering slots and apertures and having its portion intermediate said slots and apertures resting diand apertures, the lowermost flap Si is provided with rectly on the outer face of the topmost slotted and apertured layer to be supported by said slotted and apertured layers, the top layer of said top wall being imperforate and folded over the topmost slotted and apertured layer and over said intermediate portion of said hook and secured to said slotted and apertured layers in said folded position to thereby hold securely said hook in close engagement between said layers, the top wall being supported on all its sides by the side walls of the container such that a. weight suspended from said to wall substantially evenly distributed to all four side walls.

3. A collapsible container having a bottom wall, side walls and a garment supporting top wall, said top wall consisting of at least two superposed integrally connected layers of substantially equal dimensions and directly united together by a common crease line, the lower layer having a slot and an aperture made therethrough, said aperture being spaced from said slot, said slot and aperture adapted to receive the hook of a garment hanger located within the container so that the hook extends through said slot and aperture and has its portion intermediate said slot and aperture resting directly on the outer face of said lower layer to be supported thereby,

the top layer of said top wall being imperforate and adapted to be folded over said lower layer and said inter-' mediate portion of said hook and to be secured to said.

lower layer in said folded position to thereby hold securely said'hook in close engagement between said layers, the top wall being supported on ,all its sides by the side walls such that a weight suspended from said top wall is substantially'evenly distributed to all four side walls.

4. 'A collapsible container having abottom wall, side walls anda garment supporting top'wall, said top wall consisting of applurality of integrally connected superposed layers of substantially equal dimensions and directly united two-by two-by a common crease line and foldedv one over the other in the form of pleats, all but the :top'layer of said top wall each having slots and apertures made therethrough, said apertures being spaced from said slots, the slots and apertures of the superposed layers registering respectively with one another for receiving the hooks of garment hangers located within the container such that said hooks will extend through said slots and apertures and will have their portion intermediate said slots and apertures resting directly on the outer face of the topmost apertured and slotted layer to be supported by said apertured and slotted layers, the top layer of said top wall being imperforate and secured to the lower layers of said top wall to thereby hold said hook portions securely between the top and lower layers of said top wall, the top Wall being supported on all its sides by the side walls of said container such that a weight suspended from said top wall will be substantially evenly distributed to all four side walls of the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,342,110 Selz June 8, 1920 1,626,381 Batts Apr. 26, 1921 1,843,547 Dukes et al Feb. 2, 1932 2,461,936 Stone Feb. 15,1949 2,656,914 Gordon Oct. 21, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 568,256 Great Britain Mar. 26, 1945 

